Over a decade after he slugged it out with them in the playoffs, one former Boston Celtics champion is beefing with the Orlando Magic again.
The Celtics and Magic met for a pair of back-to-back games on Friday and Sunday (both taking place in Boston). After Friday’s contest, which Orlando won 117-109, retired ex-Celtics guard Eddie House made salty comments about the Magic.
“They got ten wins, they’re still garbage,” said House, who is now an analyst for NBC Sports Boston. “They’re still not a good basketball team. They won’t make the playoffs. They won’t be in the play-in game … The Celtics are [still] head and shoulders better.
https://twitter.com/Fawzan24_/status/1604147617650290688
For House unfortunately, those comments aged like week-old milk on a hot summer day. The Magic, the team that the Celtics were supposedly “head and shoulders” better than, won in Boston again on Sunday. In a more grind-it-out defensive battle, Orlando prevailed by the final of 95-92.
After the second win, several Magic players (including Markelle Fultz, Terrence Ross, Cole Anthony, and Mo Bamba) trolled House on Twitter. They took turns posting the same GIF of former Magic guard Rafer Alston slapping House in the head during a 2009 Orlando-Boston playoff series.
https://twitter.com/MarkelleF/status/1604604311182446597
https://twitter.com/TerrenceRoss/status/1604604399812317185
https://twitter.com/The_ColeAnthony/status/1604604496184676352
https://twitter.com/TheRealMoBamba/status/1604604299237007362
Magic rookie star Paolo Banchero also told reporters after the game that his team had been motivated by House’s inflammatory comments.
https://twitter.com/khobi_price/status/1604611817157890050
House then fired back in another appearance on NBC Sports Boston. He said that the Magic were acting like “they just won the NBA championship” and pointed out that Orlando still had the fifth-worst record in the league. House went on to say that the Magic were part of “The Goofy Club” for getting so hyped up over two wins.
https://twitter.com/ClutchPointsApp/status/1604893997125799936
House then tweeted a picture of his 2008 championship ring with the Celtics, writing, “This is to all the @OrlandoMagic fans that been talking s–t… Send me one of these when y’all get one!!!” (profanity edited by LBS).
Though House is right that Orlando still has a lot more work to do to even qualify for a play-in spot, it is tough to side with him here. His comments on Friday came across as bitter and unnecessary after the Magic beat the Celtics for the first time. Some might also see this as House trying to stay relevant, especially since he retired in 2011 and averaged just 2.5 points per game during the Celtics’ 2008 playoff run that he continues to hype up.
The Celtics ultimately do not have a whole lot to worry about since they are still 22-9 overall and now have the likes of Al Horford and Robert Williams back in the lineup. But they shouldn’t take anything away from the Magic, who are playing some really tremendous basketball right now.
